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SteveEisenberg · 10-11-2018, 08:45 PM

I guess my rumor is that the quality control on Amazon Warehouse Deals isn't what it used to be.

I wanted to buy another spare Kindle Keyboard after losing one on the Philadelphia El train. Unsurprisingly, a lost and found visit was fruitless. Pennsylvania is not Taiwan.

So I bought a Kindle Keyboard WiFi, used "very good," last week. When it arrived (less than 48 hours, free shipping, not Prime), I tried putting in my WiFi password. It was hard going, since at least three of the keyboard keys registered the adjacent letter. That's inconsistent with how Amazon describes very good condition. And it's inconsistent with past experience of very good being almost indistinguishable from new. So I did a quick RMA, dropping it off at our nearby Amazon free return location, just be be sure return postage didn't become an issue.

Then, this past Monday, I ordered another very good condition WiFi Kindle Keyboard. It arrived tonight with two stickers on the inside box. One said it was a very good Kindle Keyboard, and the other said it was a very good Kindle Voyage WiFi. Open the box, and the device exactly matches a picture of the Voyage. I call customer service, and they say it's up to me whether I return or keep.

My wife Barbara and I find the Kindle Keyboard to be perfect (at least if you don't sit on it without a case). Can't get better than perfect, can you? Lighting where we read always seems fine, so who needs a built-in light. On the other hand -- we paid $32.90 for a Keyboard, and the very good Voyage goes for $138.12. So that means it's 4.2 times better, right? Well, actually, no, can't be. But I just registered and tested the Voyage, and can't find anything, mechanically or physically, distinguishing it from new. So we'll keep it and see how the 1 percent (or is it the 10 percent?) read.

10-11-2018, 08:45 PM	#48
SteveEisenberg Grand Sorcerer Posts: 7,435 Karma: 43514536 Join Date: Jun 2008 Location: near Philadelphia USA Device: Kindle Kids Edition, Fire HD 10 (11th generation)	I guess my rumor is that the quality control on Amazon Warehouse Deals isn't what it used to be. I wanted to buy another spare Kindle Keyboard after losing one on the Philadelphia El train. Unsurprisingly, a lost and found visit was fruitless. Pennsylvania is not Taiwan. So I bought a Kindle Keyboard WiFi, used "very good," last week. When it arrived (less than 48 hours, free shipping, not Prime), I tried putting in my WiFi password. It was hard going, since at least three of the keyboard keys registered the adjacent letter. That's inconsistent with how Amazon describes very good condition. And it's inconsistent with past experience of very good being almost indistinguishable from new. So I did a quick RMA, dropping it off at our nearby Amazon free return location, just be be sure return postage didn't become an issue. Then, this past Monday, I ordered another very good condition WiFi Kindle Keyboard. It arrived tonight with two stickers on the inside box. One said it was a very good Kindle Keyboard, and the other said it was a very good Kindle Voyage WiFi. Open the box, and the device exactly matches a picture of the Voyage. I call customer service, and they say it's up to me whether I return or keep. My wife Barbara and I find the Kindle Keyboard to be perfect (at least if you don't sit on it without a case). Can't get better than perfect, can you? Lighting where we read always seems fine, so who needs a built-in light. On the other hand -- we paid $32.90 for a Keyboard, and the very good Voyage goes for $138.12. So that means it's 4.2 times better, right? Well, actually, no, can't be. But I just registered and tested the Voyage, and can't find anything, mechanically or physically, distinguishing it from new. So we'll keep it and see how the 1 percent (or is it the 10 percent?) read.